the life of charlotte bronte-1-第11章

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　before　it　was　dressed；　had　often　become　tainted　from　neglect；　and　girls；　who　were　schoolfellows　with　the　Brontes；　during　the　reign　of　the　cook　of　whom　I　am　speaking；　tell　me　that　the　house　seemed　to　be　pervaded；　morning；　noon；　and　night；　by　the　odour　of　rancid　fat　that　steamed　out　of　the　oven　in　which　much　of　their　food　was　prepared。　　There　was　the　same　carelessness　in　making　the　puddings；　one　of　those　ordered　was　rice　boiled　in　water；　and　eaten　with　a　sauce　of　treacle　and　sugar；　but　it　was　often　uneatable；　because　the　water　had　been　taken　out　of　the　rain　tub；　and　was　strongly　impregnated　with　the　dust　lodging　on　the　roof；　whence　it　had　trickled　down　into　the　old　wooden　cask；　which　also　added　its　own　flavour　to　that　of　the　original　rain　water。　The　milk；　too；　was　often　〃bingy；〃　to　use　a　country　expression　for　a　kind　of　taint　that　is　far　worse　than　sourness；　and　suggests　the　idea　that　it　is　caused　by　want　of　cleanliness　about　the　milk　pans；　rather　than　by　the　heat　of　the　weather。　　On　Saturdays；　a　kind　of　pie；　or　mixture　of　potatoes　and　meat；　was　served　up；　which　was　made　of　all　the　fragments　accumulated　during　the　week。　　Scraps　of　meat　from　a　dirty　and　disorderly　larder；　could　never　be　very　appetizing；　and；　I　believe；　that　this　dinner　was　more　loathed　than　any　in　the　early　days　of　Cowan　Bridge　School。　　One　may　fancy　how　repulsive　such　fare　would　be　to　children　whose　appetites　were　small；　and　who　had　been　accustomed　to　food；　far　simpler　perhaps；　but　prepared　with　a　delicate　cleanliness　that　made　it　both　tempting　and　wholesome。　　At　many　a　meal　the　little　Brontes　went　without　food；　although　craving　with　hunger。　　They　were　not　strong　when　they　came；　having　only　just　recovered　from　a　complication　of　measles　and　hooping…cough：　　indeed；　I　suspect　they　had　scarcely　recovered；　for　there　was　some　consultation　on　the　part　of　the　school　authorities　whether　Maria　and　Elizabeth　should　be　received　or　not；　in　July　1824。　　Mr。　Bronte　came　again；　in　the　September　of　that　year；　bringing　with　him　Charlotte　and　Emily　to　be　admitted　as　pupils。

It　appears　strange　that　Mr。　Wilson　should　not　have　been　informed　by　the　teachers　of　the　way　in　which　the　food　was　served　up；　but　we　must　remember　that　the　cook　had　been　known　for　some　time　to　the　Wilson　family；　while　the　teachers　were　brought　together　for　an　entirely　different　workthat　of　education。　　They　were　expressly　given　to　understand　that　such　was　their　department；　the　buying　in　and　management　of　the　provisions　rested　with　Mr。　Wilson　and　the　cook。　　The　teachers　would；　of　course；　be　unwilling　to　lay　any　complaints　on　the　subject　before　him。

There　was　another　trial　of　health　common　to　all　the　girls。　　The　path　from　Cowan　Bridge　to　Tunstall　Church；　where　Mr。　Wilson　preached；　and　where　they　all　attended　on　the　Sunday；　is　more　than　two　miles　in　length；　and　goes　sweeping　along　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　unsheltered　country；　in　a　way　to　make　it　a　fresh　and　exhilarating　walk　in　summer；　but　a　bitter　cold　one　in　winter；　especially　to　children　like　the　delicate　little　Brontes；　whose　thin　blood　flowed　languidly　in　consequence　of　their　feeble　appetites　rejecting　the　food　prepared　for　them；　and　thus　inducing　a　half…starved　condition。　　The　church　was　not　warmed；　there　being　no　means　for　this　purpose。　　It　stands　in　the　midst　of　fields；　and　the　damp　mist　must　have　gathered　round　the　walls；　and　crept　in　at　the　windows。　　The　girls　took　their　cold　dinner　with　them；　and　ate　it　between　the　services；　in　a　chamber　over　the　entrance；　opening　out　of　the　former　galleries。　　The　arrangements　for　this　day　were　peculiarly　trying　to　delicate　children；　particularly　to　those　who　were　spiritless　and　longing　for　home；　as　poor　Maria　Bronte　must　have　been；　for　her　ill　health　was　increasing；　and　the　old　cough；　the　remains　of　the　hooping…cough；　lingered　about　her。

She　was　far　superior　in　mind　to　any　of　her　play…fellows　and　companions；　and　was　lonely　amongst　them　from　that　very　cause；　and　yet　she　had　faults　so　annoying　that　she　was　in　constant　disgrace　with　her　teachers；　and　an　object　of　merciless　dislike　to　one　of　them；　who　is　depicted　as　〃Miss　Scatcherd〃　in　〃Jane　Eyre；〃　and　whose　real　name　I　will　be　merciful　enough　not　to　disclose。　　I　need　hardly　say；　that　Helen　Burns　is　as　exact　a　transcript　of　Maria　Bronte　as　Charlotte's　wonderful　power　of　reproducing　character　could　give。　　Her　heart；　to　the　latest　day　on　which　we　met；　still　beat　with　unavailing　indignation　at　the　worrying　and　the　cruelty　to　which　her　gentle；　patient；　dying　sister　had　been　subjected　by　this　woman。　　Not　a　word　of　that　part　of　〃Jane　Eyre〃　but　is　a　literal　repetition　of　scenes　between　the　pupil　and　the　teacher。　Those　who　had　been　pupils　at　the　same　time　knew　who　must　have　written　the　book　from　the　force　with　which　Helen　Burns'　sufferings　are　described。　　They　had；　before　that；　recognised　the　description　of　the　sweet　dignity　and　benevolence　of　Miss　Temple　as　only　a　just　tribute　to　the　merits　of　one　whom　all　that　knew　her　appear　to　hold　in　honour；　but　when　Miss　Scatcherd　was　held　up　to　opprobrium　they　also　recognised　in　the　writer　of　〃Jane　Eyre〃　an　unconsciously　avenging　sister　of　the　sufferer。

One　of　their　fellow…pupils；　among　other　statements　even　worse；　gives　me　the　following：…　The　dormitory　in　which　Maria　slept　was　a　long　room；　holding　a　row　of　narrow　little　beds　on　each　side；　occupied　by　the　pupils；　and　at　the　end　of　this　dormitory　there　was　a　small　bed…chamber　opening　out　of　it；　appropriated　to　the　use　of　Miss　Scatcherd。　　Maria's　bed　stood　nearest　to　the　door　of　this　room。　　One　morning；　after　she　had　become　so　seriously　unwell　as　to　have　had　a　blister　applied　to　her　side　（the　sore　from　which　was　not　perfectly　healed）；　when　the　getting…up　bell　was　heard；　poor　Maria　moaned　out　that　she　was　so　ill；　so　very　ill；　she　wished　she　might　stop　in　bed；　and　some　of　the　girls　urged　her　to　do　so；　and　said　they　would　explain　it　all　to　Miss　Temple；　the　superintendent。　But　Miss　Scatcherd　was　close　at　hand；　and　her　anger　would　have　to　be　faced　before　Miss　Temple's　kind　thoughtfulness　could　interfere；　so　the　sick　child　began　to　dress；　shivering　with　cold；　as；　without　leaving　her　bed；　she　slowly　put　on　her　black　worsted　stockings　over　her　thin　white　legs　（my　informant　spoke　as　if　she　saw　it　yet；　and　her　whole　face　flushed　out　undying　indignation）。　　Just　then　Miss　Scatcherd　issued　from　her　room；　and；　without　asking　for　a　word　of　explanation　from　the　sick　and　frightened　girl；　she　took　her　by　the　arm；　on　the　side　to　which　the　blister　had　been　applied；　and　by　one　vigorous　movement　whirled　her　out　into　the　middle　of　the　floor；　abusing　her　all　the　time　for　dirty　and　untidy　habits。　There　she　left　her。　　My　informant　says；　Maria　hardly　spoke；　except　to　beg　some　of　the　more　indignant　girls　to　be　calm；　but；　in　slow；　trembling　movements；　with　many　a　pause；　she　went　down…stairs　at　last；and　was　punished　for　being　late。

Any　one　may　fancy　how　such　an　event　as　this　would　rankle　in　Charlotte's　mind。　　I　only　wonder　that　she　did　not　remonstrate　against　her　father's　decision　to　send　her　and　Emily　back　to　Cowan　Bridge；　after　Maria's　and　Elizabeth's　deaths。　　But　frequently　children　are　unconscious　of　the　effect　which　some　of　their　simple　revelations　would　have　in　altering　the　opinions　entertained　by　their　friends　of　the　persons　placed　around　them。　　Besides；　Charlotte's　earnest　vigorous　mind　saw；　at　an　unusually　early　age；　the　immense　importance　of　education；　as　furnishing　her　with　tools　which　she　had　the　strength　and　the　will　to　wield；　and　she　would　be　aware　that　the　Cowan　Bridge　education　was；　in　many　points；　the　best　that　her　father　could　provide　for　her。

Before　Maria　Bronte's　death；　that　low　fever　broke　out；　in　the　spring　of　1825；　which　is　spoken　of　in　〃Jane　Eyre。〃　　Mr。　Wilson　was　extremely　alarmed　at　the　first　symptoms　of　this。　　He　went　to　a　kind　motherly　woman；　who　had　had　some　connection　with　the　school　as　laundress；　I　believeand　asked　her　to　come　and　tell　him　what　was　the　matter　with　them。　　She　made　herself　ready；　and　drove　with　him　in　his　gig。　　When　she　entered　the　school…room；　she　saw　from　twelve　to　fifteen　girls　lying　about；　some　resting　their　aching　heads　on　the　table；　others　on　the　ground；　all　heavy…eyed；　flushed；　indifferent；　and　weary；　with　pains　in　every　limb。　　Some　peculiar　odour；　she　says；　made　her　recognise　that　they　were　sickening　for　〃the　fever；〃　and　she　told　Mr。　Wilson　so；　and　that　she　could　not　stay　there　for　fear　of　conveying　the　infection　to　her　own　children；　but　he　half　commanded；　and　half　entreated　her　to　remain　and　nurse　them；　and　finally　mounted　his　gig　and　drove　away；　while　she　was　still　urging　that　she　must　return　to　her　own　house；　and　to　her　domestic　duties；　for　which　she　had　provided　no　substitute。　However；　when　she　was　left　in　this　unceremonious　manner；　she　determined　to　make　the　best　of　it；　and　a　most　efficient　nurse　she　proved：　　although；　as　she　says；　it　was　a　dreary　time。

Mr。　Wilson　supplied　everything　ordered　by　the　doctors；　of　the　best　quality　and　in　the　most　liberal　manner；　the　invalids　were　attended　by　Dr。　Batty；　a　very　clever　surgeon　in　Kirby；　who　had　had　the　medical　superintendence　of　the　establishment　from　the　beginning；　and　who　afterwards　became　Mr。　Wilson's　brother…in…law。　　I　have　heard　from　two　witnesses　besides　Charlotte　Bronte；　that　Dr。　Batty　condemned　the　preparation　of　the　food　by　the　expressive　action　of　spitting　out　a　portion　of　it。　　He　himself；　it　is　but　fair　to　say；　does　not　remember　this　circumstance；　nor　does　he　speak　of　the　fever　itself　as　either　alarming　or　dangerous。　　About　forty　of　the　girls　suffered　from　this；　but　none　of　them　died　at　Cowan　Bridge；　though　one　died　at　her　own　home；　sinking　under　the　state　of　health　which　followed　it。　　None　of　the　Brontes　had　the　fever。　　But　the　same　causes；　which　affected　the　health　of　the　other　pupils　through　typhus；　told　more　slowly；　but　not　less　surely；　upon　their　constitutions。　　The　principal　of　these　causes　was　the　food。

The　bad　management　of　the　cook　was　chiefly　to　be　blamed　for　this；　she　was　dismissed；　and　the　woman　who　had　been　forced　against　her　will　to　serve　as　head　nurse；　took　the　place　of　housekeeper；　and　henceforward　the　food　was　so　well　prepared　that　no　one　could　ever　reasonably　complain　of　it。　　Of　course　it　cannot　be　expected　that　a　new　institution；　comprising　domestic　and　educational　arrangements　for　nearly　a　hundred　persons；　should　work　quite　smoothly　at　the　beginning。

All　this　occurred　during　the　first　two　years　of　the　establishment；　and　in　estimating　its　effect　upon　the　character　of　Charlotte　Bronte；　we　must　remember　that　she　was　a　sensitive　thoughtful　child；　capable　of　reflecting　deeply；　if　not　of　analyzing　truly；　and　peculiarly　susceptible；　as　are　all　delicate　and　sickly　children；　to　painful　impressions。　　What　the　healthy　suffer　from　but　momentarily　and　then　forget；　those　who　are　ailing　brood　over　involuntarily　and　remember　long；perhaps　with　no　resentment；　but　simply　as　a　piece　of　suffering　that　has　been　stamped　into　their　very　life。　　The　pictures；　ideas；　and　conceptions　of　character　received　into　the　mind　of　the　child　of　eight　years　old；　were　destined　to　be　reproduced　in　fiery　words　a　quarter　of　a　century　afterwards。　　She　saw　but　one　side　of　Mr。　Wilson's　character；　and　many　of　those　who　knew　him　at　that　time　assure　me　of　the　fidelity　with　which　this　is　represented；　while　at　the　same　time　they　regret